[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8217-8218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02397]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0990-0330]


Agency Information Collection Request. 60-Day Public Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and 
Human Services, is publishing the following summary of a proposed 
collection for public comment.

DATES: Comments on the ICR must be received on or before April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or by calling 
(202) 264-0041 and [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the document identifier 0990-0330-60D and 
project title for reference, to Sherrette A. Funn, email: 
[email protected], [email protected] or call (202) 264-0041 the Reports 
Clearance Officer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested persons are invited to send 
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this 
collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) 
The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for 
the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology to minimize the information collection burden.
    Title of the Collection: Appellant Climate Survey.
    Type of Collection: Revision.
    OMB No. 0990-0330, HHS, OS, Office of Medicare Hearings and 
Appeals.
    Abstract:
    The Department of Health and Human Services under the Office of 
Medicare Hearings and Appeals is doing the annual OMHA Appellant 
Climate Survey. This is a survey of Medicare beneficiaries, providers, 
suppliers, or their representatives who participated in a hearing 
before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) from OMHA. Appellants 
dissatisfied with the outcome of their Level 2 Medicare appeal may 
request a hearing before an OMHA ALJ. The Appellant Climate Survey will 
be used to measure appellant satisfaction with their OMHA appeals 
experience, as opposed to their satisfaction with a specific ruling. 
OMHA was established by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, 
and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173) and became 
operational on July 1, 2005. The MMA legislation also directed HHS to 
consider the feasibility of conducting hearings using telephone or 
video-teleconference (VTC) technologies. In carrying out this mandate, 
OMHA makes use of both telephone and VTC to provide appellants with a 
vast nationwide network of Field Offices for hearings. The first 3-year 
administration cycle of the OMHA survey began in fiscal year (FY) 2008, 
a second 3-year cycle began in FY 2011, a third 3-year cycle began in 
FY 2014, a fourth 3-year cycle began in FY 2018, and a fifth 3-year 
cycle began in FY 2021. The survey will continue to be conducted 
annually over a 3-year period with the next data collection cycle 
beginning in FY 2024.

[[Page 8218]]

    The survey instrument includes several changes from the prior 3-
year cycle:
    Added a new section, ``Request for Hearing.'' The section focuses 
on how customers requested a hearing, how satisfied they were with the 
method they used to request a hearing, and about the clarity of form 
OMHA-100 (Request for ALJ Hearing or Review of Dismissal).
    Changed ``Hard Copy, internet and Phone Information'' section to 
``Communications and Web Tools'' section.
    Added a brief statement about when customers should have received 
the ``Notice of Nondiscrimination'' document.
    Added two satisfaction questions for appellants who used the e-
Appeal Portal--one about updates the portal provides on their appeal 
and another about using the portal for uploading documents 
electronically.
    Changed ``Telephone Hearing'' section to ``Hearing.'' The appellant 
is asked what type of hearing they had (telephone or video) and 
satisfaction with using that method. If they attended a telephone 
hearing, appellants will be asked whether they were offered the option 
of a video hearing; if not, they will be asked if they would have 
participated in a video hearing if offered.
    Data collection instruments and recruitment materials will be 
offered in English and Spanish. The estimated total number of 
respondents across all 3 years is 2,400 (800 respondents each FY for FY 
2024, FY 2025, and FY2026). The estimated total annual burden hours 
expected across all years is 600 hours (200 hours each FY for FY 2024, 
FY 2025, and FY 2026).
    The survey will be conducted annually, and survey respondents will 
consist of Medicare beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries (i.e., 
providers, suppliers) who participated in a hearing before an OMHA ALJ. 
OMHA will draw a representative, nonredundant sample of appellants 
whose cases had been closed in the first 6 months of the surveyed 
fiscal year.

                                          Annualized Burden Hour Table
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                                                                           Number of      Average       Total
       Forms (if necessary)          Respondents (if       Number of     responses per   burden per     burden
                                        necessary)        respondents     respondents     response      hours
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                                   Beneficiaries......             400               1        15/60          100
                                   Non-Beneficiaries..             400               1        15/60          100
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    Total........................  ...................             800               1  ...........          200
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Sherrette A. Funn,
Paperwork Reduction Act Reports Clearance Officer, Office of the 
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-02397 Filed 2-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-46-P